


carpe diem

by dinglesugdendinglesugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Boarding School AU, M/M, Teen AU, little bit of homophobic language but it's fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 00:44:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14759387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinglesugdendinglesugden/pseuds/dinglesugdendinglesugden
Summary: Aaron is forced into going to a boarding school, where he meets a certain Robert Sugden.inspiration:http://luststricken.tumblr.com/post/174266523517/luststricken-teenrobron-and-the-boarding





	carpe diem

**Author's Note:**

> Written in one night and a morning before I spend the rest of the day revising.   
> Hope you enjoy!  
> Tumblr: @prettyboysugden

****

The door slammed shut and in walked Robert Sugden. Blond beauty and overall God of the school, according to the adjacent all-girls boarding house and the other popular boys in the house.

“He can share my dorm Sir.” He said politely, standing next to Aaron, who was sat opposite the headmaster, scowl on his face. The two teens couldn’t have contrasted more if they tried. Robert, posh, rich, and dressed in the schools suit, tie perfectly knotted and prefect badge shining on his lapel.

And Aaron.

Aaron Dingle. From three towns over, a reputation builder at each school he’d been passed on to. His last school, St. Paul’s, had expelled him only three weeks into term, and he was finally referred onto Trinity’s Boarding School for Boys. They had a reputation for not only producing young men who would go on to have high ranking jobs, but also for reforming trouble-making teens like Aaron into respectable young men with high grades in all exams.

The headmaster unfolded his arms and placed them on his desk, closing the pages to Aaron’s file before looking to him. “Mr. Dingle, meet Robert Sugden, your new dorm mate.”

“Fuckin’ posh twa-“ Aaron hissed, standing up from the surprisingly comfortable chair.

“SIT.” The headmaster raised his voice, causing both Robert and Aaron to jump ever so slightly. Aaron immediately sat back down, deciding that he’d rather not get kicked out before his time here had even begun.

“Some rules for you: no swearing, no fighting, you turn up to classes on time, pass your exams and wear your suit every weekday, nine until six.”

Aaron nodded, accepted that he was stuck here for the foreseeable, picked up his dorm keys and went on his way with Robert guiding him up to their room.

“It’s a lot bigger than your other schools, right?” Robert boasted, standing at the top of a flight of stairs, waiting for Aaron to catch up.

Aaron threw him a firey look, jumped three steps at a time just to reach him. “Much bigger, yeah.”

Robert unlocked a wooden door, room 302, Aaron assumed. “And this is where you’ll be staying.” Robert showed him. “Naturally, this side is mine, and that side is yours.” He said, pointing to the respective sides of the room, his own filled with posters and photos, making it look homely, and what would now be Aaron’s side, grey, dull and no bed sheets. “You’re off timetable today, so you can sort out your suits and bed sheets. They’re downstairs.”

Aaron nodded, already bored of this hell hole. “Cheers.”

 

* * *

 

 

It had been a long first day, Aaron sticking out like a sore thumb in his jeans and hoodie whilst everyone else walked around in fitted suits. He’d managed to sort his own out though, and stood in his dorm changing into it, a little before five, when they had to go for food.

Robert burst through the door, throwing his bag onto his bed without a care in the world, a green book falling out onto his pillow. “Wow Dingle, you almost scrub up nicely. Come along for dinner now, its oriental night.” And then he caught a glimpse of Aaron’s tie in the mirror. “Of course, you won’t be allowed food with that sort of tie.”

Aaron looked down at it. It was halfway down his chest, baggy and leaving only three stripes to be shown.

“Eight stripes at the very least, and the knot has to be at the top.” Robert said, almost mechanically, like he’d been brainwashed into knowing all the school rules.

“How did you get so popular if you’re this much of a swot?” Aaron scoffed, unravelling his tie to do it again, to Robert’s satisfaction this much. He might hate it, but he wasn’t willing to miss out on food because he hadn’t done his tie properly.

“That’s the Trinity way.” Robert shrugged his shoulders. “I’m ‘popular’, as you put it, because I get good grades and I play football. It helps that I’m good looking, obviously.”

“And a cocky twat, clearly.” Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Tut tut, Dingle. Swearing twice in your first day?” Robert said jokingly. “We all swear, it is a stupid rule. But play by them and time here will go quickly. Word of advice though: only break the rules in front of the students you trust.”

 

* * *

 

“This is Aaron,” Robert introduced him, both of them sitting at the top table in the dining room. “He started today, all the way from St. Pauls.”

Declan’s face lit up, “So you’re the expelled one.”

Aaron rolled his eyes in response, looking around and noticing that girls had started to file into the room. “How come we share with them?” He asked, nodding in their direction.

Robert looked to see what Aaron was indicating towards. “Ah, the girls. It’s a tradition that we spend at least two evenings a week with them, apparently so we all get used to being around girls.”

“Got your eyes on any of them?” Declan asked, directing his question towards Aaron, who has started tucking into his food already, eager to finish and get out of his suit. It may have looked smart, but he wasn’t used to it in the slightest.

Aaron swallowed his mouthful and shook his head. “Not exactly my type.”

Robert’s eyes went wide in shock as Declan, and Matt, for what its worth, both opened their mouths wide, realising what Aaron had just said to them.

“Hey, Rob, isn’t it funny that you two are sharing a dorm?” Matt chuckled.

“What?” Aaron wondered.

Robert turned and faced him. “Well, I-I’m bi.”

“Huh, what a coincidence.” Aaron laughed awkwardly.

_Scratch not being able to wait to get his suit off- he couldn’t wait to leave this place now._

He’d gone back up to the dorm some fourty minutes later, fed up of the constant chatter and laughter of the dining room, but more fed up of popular Robert having girls fawn over him every second.

_‘Oh Robert, you’re so great.’ ‘Robert, you’re so funny.’_

It made him grit his teeth as he walked up several flights of stairs, keys in hand, ready to unlock room 302. At least tomorrow he’d be in lessons – even if he didn’t want to learn.

 

* * *

 

It had been weeks since Aaron’s first day at Trinity, and in that time, he’d formed a bond with Robert. According to the teachers, Robert had been a great influence on Aaron, who had managed to get a routine going for each day.

(Even if he still hadn’t passed any classes yet).

Monday to Friday, they’d wake up together, half seven, Robert would go down to food for them both whilst Aaron showered, and Aaron would take the rubbish down whilst Robert showered. Saturday was the day they’d go out into town, a large group of them all together, sometimes with the girls, others just the boys. Sunday, they did work. Robert would start to wake up at nine naturally, growing restless in his sleep. Aaron would follow, and they’d sit on their respective beds for the rest of the day, shouting questions and responses to each other, Aaron copying Robert’s math work, Robert stealing Aaron’s poetry notes (he’d copied them from someone in his class).

It was Friday night, and they’d just got changed into their pyjamas, both just in gym shorts, the heatwave making everywhere hot, even at night. 

Aaron was laid on top of his bedsheets, phone in hand, Robert on his own bed, flicking through a book he was scribbling notes into.

Robert broke the comfortable silence. “You know how you’re gay?”

Aaron put his phone down and rolled onto his side, facing Robert now. He hummed in response.

“Obviously its only boys here, and I was wondering if you actually do like anyone?” Robert asked, his voice low, almost like he was shy.

“As long as it doesn’t go past these walls- yeah. I do.”

Robert smiled and nodded. “Yeah, right, cool.”

“Do yo-“ Aaron started, as Robert turned to look at him, fingers trapped in his book, saving the page.

“Yup.”

Aaron chuckled in response, jokingly saying, “What if it’s the same bloke?”

Robert opened his book up again, writing what seemed to only be a few words, before shrugging. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Give us a clue then.” Aaron pestered, eyes flicking to the clock on the wall.

“No, just leave it.” Robert said, closing his eyes temporarily.

“Is it Matt?”

“Definitely not.”

“Declan?”

“No chance.”

“James?”

“He wishes.”

“Samuel?”

“No, Aaron, just drop it.” Robert pleaded. “You don’t want to know.”

The penny dropped and Aaron shyly smiled.

“Is it me?”

Robert rolled his eyes, put his book down and rolled over to face away from Aaron.

He could hear the shuffling as Aaron got off his bed, and the _tap, tap, tap_ of three footsteps, and then his bed sunk at the side as Aaron climbed on. “I said: is it me?” His body was half over Robert’s, arms either side of his head, practically pinning him to the mattress.

“Yes! Okay, yeah. I like you.” Robert confirmed.

Aaron couldn’t help but smile, his face directly above Robert’s now. “Good. Because I like you too.”

“Don’t be a dick.” Robert aimlessly threatened.

“I’m not.”

And for some reason, Aaron felt he plucked up enough courage to kiss Robert. So that’s exactly what he did. He slackened his arms ever so slightly, bending down so he could feel Robert’s breath on his skin, and then their lips touched gently. Robert lifted his arms from his side, one going to Aaron’s waist, holding on to his bare skin, and the other stroking the stubble that he’d started to grow out. Neither of them wanted to pull away from the kiss, but, in order to breathe, they had to.

Aaron rested his cheek on Robert’s, flushed and hot skin pressed together, the whole world seemed to have just stopped as they spent that time together.

“Not a bad kisser for a posh twat.” Aaron grinned, his eyes lighting up when he heard Robert laugh.

“You’re posh now, dickhead.”

Aaron chuckled and kissed Robert once more, a longing kiss this time, harder. Then he tried to get off the bed, and back over to his own. Except Robert was having none of it, and the second he could, he grabbed hold of Aaron’s hand and dragged him back over to his bed, lifting the thin sheet up and waiting for Aaron to climb in.

 

* * *

 

“Mate, I’m telling you, Aaron was in Robert’s bed and they were cuddling each other- topless.” Matt whispered to Declan, both of them stood in the hallway.

“Are you sure?” Declan asked.

Matt looked at him incredulously. “I’m not blind!” He raised his voice, before looking around and speaking normally. “Robert had his arms around him, and Aaron’s face was in his chest.”

They thought the hallway was empty, disregarding the two of them. Nobody ever came down here, except Dom, who had discovered it was a shortcut to his dorm just a few weeks before. He hid in the shadows as he heard Declan and Matt talking, smiling as he heard the gossip.

 

* * *

 

Monday came around quickly, and Robert and Aaron’s routine carried on as normal (albeit with a few extra kisses). Aaron had English whilst Robert had sport, which were in two complete opposite directions.

Aaron had sat down in class, innocent smile on his face as he counted down the hour and a half he’d be stuck in the room before he could go and see his boyfriend. They become official the day before, Robert waking up with Aaron’s face pressed into his chest, warm bodies together as the early morning sun beamed into their dorm.

Dom walked in the classroom just seconds before the teacher walked in, and Dom deliberately walked past Aaron, muttering a “Faggot” under his breath, causing Aaron to jump up and grab him by his throat, forgetting where he is. The class erupting into cheers and shouts as Aaron launched onto Dom, the teacher trying to prise the two students apart, both of them brawling on the floor.

 

* * *

 

“Mr. Dingle. What was one of the rules I said to you when you first started here?” Mr. Fraser asked, pacing in front of his desk, disappointment awash his face at the two students stood before him, their suits ripped at the stitching, bruises forming and blood under their noses.

“No fighting, Sir.” Aaron admitted, not wanting to look up.

“Correct.” Mr. Fraser said. “So care to tell me why you attacked another student like an animal?”

“Sir, he called me a ‘faggot’.” Aaron said, and Dom’s face dropped as he knew he wouldn’t get away unscathed from this.

Mr. Fraser’s head turned to face Dom, and he knew he didn’t have to ask if it was true, because the guilty expression on his face told the whole story.

“Right.” Mr. Fraser spoke as he sat down. “Dominic, you say sorry to Aaron and you avoid him at all costs, and if I ever hear you saying anything like that ever again, you’ll be expelled and I will be involving the police.”

“Yes, Sir. I’m sorry Aaron.”

“And Aaron, use your energy for something else. Maybe, passing your exams would be a good start?”

“Yes, Sir.”

 

* * *

 

“What happened?!” Robert gasped, walking in the dorm room and seeing Aaron sat in his ripped suit, cleaning up the blood from his face, wincing every time he rubbed against his nose.

“Dom,” he sniffed. “Somehow, he knows about me being gay, or us, whatever. I don’t care anymore, its done.”

Robert took the tissue out of Aaron’s hand gently, dipping it in water and put it up to his face again. “So you battered him?” He asked.

“Deserved it.” Aaron conceded.

Robert snorted slightly, he never did like him. “And Fraser?”

“I need to pass my exams and I can stay, basically.”

“So…” Robert prompted, kissing Aaron’s cheek.

“So, you’re fucking teaching me maths.”

Robert laughed, before it became muffled as Aaron leaned forward and kissed him, to hell with his nose that was currently in agony.


End file.
